Developer

Developer – Research Software Directory (0.8–1.0 FTE) The Netherlands eScience Center is looking for a new colleague to contribute to the development of the Research Software Directory (RSD). Supported by the Open Science NL Infrastructure programme, which strengthens open science infrastructure in the Netherlands, we are offering a temporary position for a developer for a maximum of four years, reflecting the temporary nature of the role and its funding. In this position, you will support our activities with the RSD. If you are passionate about open science, open source software, and want to help demonstrate the impact of research software, this is the perfect opportunity for you! Who are we? The Netherlands eScience Center is the national centre for innovative software solutions in academic research. We aim to bridge the gap in knowledge and expertise between digital technologies on the one hand and scientific and scholarly inquiry on the other. We create the tools and digital methodologies that enable researchers across all disciplines to answer research questions, harnessing our unique blend of academic expertise and software development skills. We attach great importance to software quality and sustainability, and academic recognition of research software. This led us to develop the Research Software Directory, an open source online platform that highlights the impact of research software by aggregating information about the software itself, related research outputs, societal impact, and the people and organisations involved. The RSD has been adopted by a large number of research organisations nationally and internationally and currently contains information on hundreds of research software items, thousands of developers, and hundreds of thousands related research outputs. The eScience Center stands for a research-focused, professional, collaborative, open and resourceful approach to everything we do, and we require that our staff can identify with these values. Our people have a diverse background in education, gender, nationality, and ethnicity. Together, we form an inclusive group with a common drive. What will you do? As an RSD Developer, you will play a key role in further developing the Research Software Directory (RSD) and supporting its growing international community. You will contribute to the deliverables defined in the Open Science Infrastructure projects in which the RSD participates. Your work will focus on extending the RSD with new capabilities, including support for open hardware and reproducibility packages, improving content curation workflows, and strengthening integrations with external services such as 4TU.ResearchData, SURF Research Cloud, and OpenML. You will: Collaborate with project partners to translate high-level project objectives and deliverables into concrete implementation plans, including tasks, timelines, and milestones.Engage with the RSD community manager to translate feedback and stakeholder requirements into well-defined feature requests and improvements.Work as part of the (international) development team to design and implement new RSD features, while balancing potentially competing requirements, priorities, and timelines.Support the community manager and the eScience Center’s Training Coordinators in developing training materials and resources related to the RSD.Actively contribute to RSD community events and initiatives that increase the visibility and adoption of the RSD among research organisations, research communities, and other open science infrastructures. Who are you? You are an experienced software developer who enjoys working in an international, English-speaking environment and contributing to open science. You have an academic degree or an equivalent level of experience, and you are motivated to build reliable, sustainable software that supports research communities. You have: An affinity with academic research, open science and open source software.At least 4 years of relevant work experience, including maintaining a software project, and working with users, stakeholders and other developers.The ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment while taking ownership of your work.Strong software development skills, and you strongly believe in reusable code, high code quality, version control, automated testing, and other software engineering best practices that ensure quality and enable continuous deployment. Experience with the use and design of APIs, such as REST or GraphQL. Expertise with programming languages such as Python, Java, or TypeScript, and the ability and willingness to learn new technologies. You may also bring additional strengths, such as experience with databases, metadata schemas (such as CodeMeta, RO-Crate, or DataCite), maintaining open science infrastructure, or contributing to long-term sustainability and governance strategies for research software platforms. What we can offer you: Work at the forefront of cutting-edge international software enhanced research.Be part of a team of intelligent, collaborative and ambitious people with a passion for academic research.Extensive opportunity to further develop your professional and personal capacities.Salary scale 10, based on our Collective Labour Agreement (WVOI Cao-OI), depending on qualifications and expertise. A temporary contract for 1 year, with the possibility of extension up to a maximum of 4 years. Starting date: as soon as possible. Excellent secondary benefits: the possibility to work part time, travel and communication allowance, holiday allowance (8%), 42 holidays on a fulltime basis, a year-end bonus (8,33%), personal development budget, fitness plan, bicycle plan and flexible work from home options and facilities. An informal and creative working environment.The opportunity to creatively help shape the future of the Research Software Directory and the eScience Center. Room for initiative and ideas. Are you interested? Send your application through Homerun. Your application must contain a CV and a motivation letter. The closing date to apply is 6 September 2026. This vacancy is intended for candidates who are already living and working in the Netherlands. We are not offering international relocation support or visa sponsorship for this position For more information about job opportunities at the eScience Center or about the hiring process, send an e-mail to hr@esciencecenter.nl. 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